Look After You
by Angel-Chan
Summary: Kataang Week. Prompt: Comatose. DyingdyingDEAD. -complete-
1. Umbrella

_A/N: Kataang week is finally heeeeere. Each of my prompts will have a picture to go along with it! If you check my profile, I have a link to my deviantart account where I will be posting each one. Check them out if you want! I will appologize in advance for the shortness and crappiness of these prompts. I've been busy, and working on pictures as well kind of... kills my time. Haha. I hope you enjoy!_

**Prompt: Umbrella**

She honestly never expected to return to that tiny village at the foot of a volcano. It was a special memory, one that she'd carefully filed away for safekeeping, but that was all. So when she and Aang wearily walked up the stairs and onto the cobbled street, the memories emerged.

A silly dream, of tall men and papayas.

Aang, facing an erupting volcano.

And something about a great romance….

With a smile, she gave Aang's hand a squeeze. He raised a brow, curious; she shrugged.

"Welcome, welcome," a familiar voice called, the texture slightly rougher than the last time she'd heard it. Aunt Wu descended from the podium, arms spread wide and a grin on her wrinkled lips. "Why, I haven't seen the two of you in over a year!" Before Katara could protest, the old woman pulled her into a gentle hug.

"So," Aunt Wu began, leaning back to study the waterbender's face thoughtfully. "I suppose you are just passing through, no more than an hour. Might I ask, young lady, if your prediction came true?"

A blush found its way to her cheeks despite herself, and she glanced over at Aang (who was looking rather smug, she noted). She nodded, a soft, "Perhaps," spilling from her in one quick breath..

"And what about you, dear?" She watched Aang's head snap to attention. "I take it you listened to my advice?"

"More than you know," he replied steadily. Katara wondered what it was she'd told him, but the thought dispersed as the villagers began showing the two around. After they'd seen nearly every crevice and accepted almost every offering, they prepared to set out once more. They were already running late, much to Katara's distaste, and had to hurry along.

"Here."

Turning, Katara was slightly confused by the red umbrella the elder woman was handing to her. "But it's so nice out!"

Wu winked and placed the gift in the girl's hands. "You'll need it, trust me."

The road was quiet, green grass swaying gently in a cool breeze. Katara twirled the open umbrella above her head, lost in her thoughts, as Aang strolled casually beside her. What had been predicted for him? What advice? She had no intention of prying, but….

"You don't need to use that now," the Avatar said, moving closer and bumping his shoulder to hers in a playful manner.

She sniffed and insisted, "Well, I'm just being prepared. Her predictions have never been wrong before!"

He laughed. "Every one?" There was a gleam in his eyes that she couldn't quite make out as he added, "Even the one from a year ago?"

"I'd like to think so!" was her response, and she began to believe that Aang somehow _knew_. Smirking, she leaned forward; the umbrella slid to cover both teens. "But I don't know… maybe this isn't the romance she foretold."

He leaned closer, his breath warm on her cheeks. "I _am_ a powerful bender, you know."

"I thought so! How did you…?" Her sense of reason was dwindling as the boy's lips inched closer.

A chuckle. "I'm the Avatar--I know a lot." And he closed the distance between them.

Another memory, of red umbrellas on rainless days--it contrasted with a similar scene in her mind (so long ago now, back when she was unaware). She made sure to put it with the rest of her precious memories.


	2. Smoke and Mirrors

_A/N: Next prompt! Thank you for the reviews, everyone! To answer a question in one of the reviews, yes, this title comes from the song by The Fray. I feel it is a beautiful song that fits Kataang so well. This entry is rather short, I suppose. I am basing all of my fics off the pictures I'm drawing, so it can be difficult at times! This one? It was annoying, to say the least. Ahaha. Anyway, I hope you like it!_

**Prompt: Smoke and Mirrors**

Katara wasn't one for tricks--magic, her brother once insisted with wide-eyed wonder. Aang, however, loved them immensely and would attempt little ones whenever he could. Usually, she would laugh at his grin and waving hands; but she always caught on… like how he oftentimes used his airbending to make the 'magic' happen.

She thought it was cute.

It wasn't until months later that she realized jealousy lined the thought. She wanted to be able to do something silly, to catch her audience's eye. How embarrassing, she lamented, that she would even think of something like that! But when she saw Aang standing there, staring out into space and rocking back on the heels of his feet, she remembered something her father had taught her.

"Hey, Aang?"

Gray eyes turned to her, a question in their gaze, and he tilted his head to the side.

For a second, she hesitated. It was dumb. There was really no point in doing it… but she wanted to. That urge drove her hand forward, reaching right behind his pale ear. Ignoring the confusion flowering his face, she retracted her arm… and a coin shined between her fingers.

"H-how did you do that, Katara?" he asked, voice giddy and eyes bulging.

She smirked, the sudden praise elating her. "I guess you could call it 'magic,'" she said with a shrug.


	3. Heartbeat

_A/N: Hello, again! This next prompt is a little more mature--nothing too horrible, but I just want to throw it out there that there is a slight mention of sex. (YES, FROM ME NO LESS.) I really like how this one turned out. It is a favorite of mine, I'll admit. I hope you all enjoy!_

**Prompt: Heartbeat**

Darkness.

_Ba-bump… ba-bump…._

She was disoriented, tired, and slightly breathless. For a moment, one panicked moment, she was lost. The room was unfamiliar. The blanket scratched at her bare skin--it was much too new to be hers. As her vision began to adjust to the black night, recollections from earlier that day began to break through her foggy thoughts.

_Ba-bump… ba-bump…._

_(The faces are happy, smiling… a celebration--and she cries; his eyes, oh, his eyes, they never leave her; heat, nervousnervous_nervous_, gasping and clutching and--)_

_Ba-bump… ba-bump…._

The breath she'd been holding escaped, a choppy chuckle slicing into the near-silence of the room. Of course, things were different now. She was married…. Her hand reached up and gently stroked the chest she was using as a pillow.

_Ba-bump… ba-bump…._

Propping up on an elbow, she watched her husband. Small breaths, in-out in-out, and contented features. A smile found its way to her lips, tender, loving. The woman leaned down, hair rolling over her dark shoulders as she placed a kiss on the corner of his mouth.

Pleased, she laid back down.

_Ba-bump… ba-bump…._

He groaned suddenly, fingers groping. When they brushed across her stomach, a light tickle that caused her to shudder, he enveloped her… pulled her closer. There was a muted sigh, followed by soft snoring. All was quiet, save for:

_Ba-bump… ba-bump…._

She fell asleep to the rhythmic sound of his heart.


	4. Butterflies

_A/N: Hello, again! I've been so busy with work, along with drawing and writing for these prompts! Haha, it's like I have no time at all. Oh, well. Today's entry is a favorite of mine (both the fic and the picture to go along with it!). I really hope everyone likes it!_

**Prompt: Butterflies**

As much as he liked kissing (and he had to admit, he _really_ liked it), he knew that staying out too long would lead to someone walking in on them; and the thought of that, coupled with the jokes and questions that would follow, caused him to blush. Pulling back, reluctant and missing the warmth of her lips, he smiled at her gently. Her eyes sparkled--what was it he saw, floating deep within those orbs?--and she nuzzled his cheek.

"We should go back in," he whispered. His stomach began to flip-flop as she held him closer.

Katara mumbled a quiet, "Just a few more minutes," and sighed happily.

He held his breath. When would the anxiety leave? The butterflies raging in his gut made it hard to concentrate. The smell of her hair (like the air at the ocean) invaded his nose, and he bit his lip. What he wouldn't give to just kiss her again…. Finally, Aang murmured, "I… I love you."

There was a gasp. The girl in his arms stiffened, and he feared he'd done something wrong. Maybe he'd confessed too soon? What else was he supposed to say, though? "K-Katara?" he urged, voice shaky.

"I… Aang, I," she stuttered, stepping away, "I really care about you… and--" Her eyes shifted toward the ground, her cheeks reddening. "--I want to be with you."

His stomach knotted, and he held back the question begging to be asked: Don't you love me? Closing his eyes, he forced a smile. "I'm sorry. I should have… waited. Just a little bit at a time, right?" He glanced up at her; she was still avoiding his gaze. "I want to be with you, too. If you'd like, I could… uh, hold back on saying things like that--until you're ready, anyway." (_would she ever be ready?)_

With a chuckle, he turned back to look out at the sky, the purples darkening and the sun nothing but a small sliver. One step forward, three steps back. Just like always. He wondered… was it really such a bad thing to confess? He had been sure, so sure, that she felt the same way. He would never have kissed her if he hadn't had even an inkling (_and she'd denied him once for it, hadn't she?)._ And her kiss! What did that mean, if not 'I love you, too?' A groan formed in the back of his throat.

Before he could arrange his thoughts and attempt conversation, two hands snaked around him from behind. He froze. Katara wedged against him, burying her face into his shoulder, grip tightening. A slow exhale, and then he questioned, "Katara, what are you--"

"I love you, too, Aang."

His heart nearly jumped out of his chest. Face burning, he tried to make sense of the situation. Just a moment ago, she had been weary of the words. Now, she…. "Don't," he chided, "say that just to make me feel better."

One hand glided over his chest. Her nose brushed against his neck. "I'm not. I just… love is such a powerful, scary thing," explained the waterbender weakly. "But I think… it would be better if we faced this together, don't you?"

"You really mean that? Together?"

He shuddered as her lips suddenly brushed against his ear. "Yes, I do." Fingers trailed his chin, and she turned his face toward her (it felt a little awkward, but his mind and stomach were currently blocking almost every thought).

"Katara…." Aang was shocked at the longing in his voice, the need spilling from every syllable. "I love you," he repeated with more intensity.

Her reply was another kiss.

(How easy it is to lose track of time when you're in love.)


	5. Mine

_A/N: Hello again! Haha, almost done, you guys! This next one is rather... random, I suppose. I wasn't sure what to do with it, so I just... winged it. Hahaha. I think my favorite will be Comatose--if I can get the format for it to load on here correctly! Anyway, I hope you like this one!_

**Prompt: Mine**

Aang was never quite sure how to describe his relationship with Katara. Oftentimes, he found himself returning to the various definitions others had given them. Boyfriend and girlfriend (of course, they _were _dating, but it felt like so much more); soul mates (closer, he felt, but still not quite right); lovers (he was rather fond of this one, but seeing as they were in love… not making love, he wondered if it really fit).

The young man frowned, brows furrowing as he stepped out into the sunlight. Years later, and he was still baffled.

Not that he wasn't happy. He loved Katara with all his heart; he wanted nothing more than to be with her (such a greedy thought, he noted amusedly) and to see her happy. It was just… the relationship itself was unlike any he'd ever experienced.

A poke to his cheek brought him back to his senses. Katara was glaring up at him. "Didn't you hear me, Aang? I said we need to buy spices--Sokka used them up in his 'experiments.'"

"S-Sorry," he mumbled. Taking her hand, he led them out onto the streets. "Did we need anything else?"

She hummed, shrugging. "Maybe. I kind of want a new dress," she added lightly with a smirk.

"Okay, new dress it is!" The Avatar managed a relaxed laugh. Granted, she was just doing that to make him feel better (somehow she knew just how much he liked browsing for clothes with her), but he still appreciated it.

They weaved through the crowd, ignoring the stares that always seemed to follow ("Oh, is that the Avatar and Lady Katara?"), the silence a comfortable blanket wrapping around them. Aang sighed, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles and memorizing the feel of her skin. They were a couple, and that was enough. Wasn't it? Did he really need some silly word to describe their bond? Wasn't the "I love you"s enough…?

He wanted to think so.

The woman by his side moved ahead, skimming the merchants' stocks for what she needed. Her head tilted to the side in thought--something she did when she was clearly debating--before a grin settled on her lips. Pulling out a few coins, she paid the seller and returned.

"Well, that was easy."

Katara shook her head and winked. "Not yet," she announced, lacing her fingers with his and tugging him down the dirty path.

He faked a whine. "But Kataraaaa!" She rolled her eyes; he wrapped an arm around her waist. "Can't we go shopping later? I'm sure there are other things we could be doing."

"I believe _you_, my beloved Avatar, agreed to a new dress." Her brown hair swayed in the wind, dancing around them as they walked.

His lips brushed against her neck. "A new dress for the both of us, right?" he asked slyly, taking note of the way her ears reddened and her smile became a little more nervous. Maybe lovers was the best word to use, after all.

"Aang…, tonight--"

"Excuse me?" There was a giggle. "Um, Avatar Aang?"

The couple spun around, shocked, to see two girls peering at them in wide-eyed wonder. One bit her lip before saying a short, "Hi!"

Raising a brow, Aang managed a, "Hello," while his girlfriend glowered at his side.

"We, um, we're just…," the shorter one started.

The older one, at least Aang guessed that she was older, smiled. "We just really wanted to meet you, Avatar Aang. When we heard you were going to be staying in _our_ little village, we could hardly contain ourselves!"

"Oh, yes, that's so nice," Katara spat, shifting her stare to the side. He withheld a laugh, opting for a cough and a nod.

It was the first time they seemed to notice the girl holding his hand. One scoffed. "Excuse me? I just wanted to tell him how wonderful he is!"

The waterbender muttered, "Yes, among other things…," and slid up against his arm.

"And what," the other questioned, "are you to him? His _girlfriend?_"

Aang frowned, nodded, and prepared to affirm the accusation… but Katara shook her head. Something cold dripped down his back (fear…?).

"It's not exactly like that," she explained. Her fingers reached up, resting on his chest, and she simpered. "I would much rather just call him _mine."_

The two girls gaped at her wild claim. Aang couldn't help but gawk as well, but for entirely different reasons. He had to hold back the sudden desire to kiss her. Instead, he hugged her closer and rested his chin on her head.

"You know," she added once the two girls had apologized and run off, "I'm yours just as much as you're mine."

"I know."

(And he'd _always _known.)


	6. Gravity

_A/N: Hello hello! I've got another one for you guys! I kind of like how this entry turned out--and the picture is a favorite of mine, as well. I hope you all enjoy!_

**Prompt: Gravity**

It was so very hard to keep his distance.

He had a feeling--well, more of an inkling, really--that Katara wanted space. And while he was inclined to respect that, it was hard. So, so hard… to just talk to her like normal, to smile and laugh, when all he wanted was to kiss her again. It was like a drug, or maybe just something he enjoyed too much, and he craved more.

And yet… her hugs were practically nonexistent these days, and her smiles fleeting. When before, she would absentmindedly hold his hand, rest her fingers on his back… now it was almost like she was avoiding him. That was what made it so hard, difficult, like his heart was cracking piece by piece (and like old, peeling paint, he couldn't help but pick at it).

Kissing her, while he'd meant it… meant every feeling he'd poured into it, had changed their relationship. It scared him. The awkwardness had never been so thick and murky, leaving him to suffocate in the remnants.

So sure, he'd been, that it would be easier. That she really cared for him as deeply as he did her… and that they would already be a couple. But every day, every tiring day, she kept quiet about the small moment above the subs; and he bit his tongue _every time._ He refused to bring it up if she wouldn't. And the doubting thoughts drifted through him (_does she even like me, what if I did something wrong, what if she hates me?_).

So his heart ached and his lips burned and his mind spun.

"Aang?"

He snapped from his meditation and glanced up at the one who'd been preoccupying his previous thoughts. Katara tilted her head to the side, her mouth curved into a slight frown, and took a step forward. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he finally asked, "Yeah? What's wrong?"

She scrutinized him for a moment. "You look worn out. Is Zuko pushing you too hard?"

"Ah, no, I'm fine. Just taking a break."

The answer seemed to be enough for her; her face softened to pale worry and she looked around. "Have you seen Sokka's map?" she questioned. Pushing a strand of hair behind her ear, she continued: "I was moving everything earlier and I must have dropped it--or so he says." With an eye roll, she peeked by the fountain, then trailed her gaze back to him.

"I haven't seen it." Honestly, he hadn't seen much of anything outside his rambling mind. He stood and brushed off his pants. "Did you need help?" he offered. "Two pairs of eyes should be better than one."

"Thanks."

That was it. The bulk of their conversations these days was short, to the point, and mainly about something other than themselves. As much as Aang hated it, he held back his urge to strike up another topic (of course, he also had to fight back the need to just scoop her up and kiss her).

"Here it is!"

The boy turned to her, just a little disappointed that the search hadn't taken longer, and watched her walk over to him. "So you _did_ drop it."

"Yeah…," she murmured. "Now I just have to deal with Sokka re--"

She tripped. Instinctively, he moved in to help her, but somehow she was able to send them both tumbling backwards. They landed with a gentle "oof" on the rocky floor.

Aang carefully propped himself up on his elbows. He winced, noting the pain in his left arm. "Are you…?" he began, staring at the top of her head.

"I'm okay," was her whispered response. A groan followed.

It was at that moment that the young Avatar realized their position. He blushed, mind racing at the mere idea of her body against his. It was tempting, so very tempting, and he just… he _couldn't_.

When she lifted her head, however, everything seemed to stop. Her eyes were wide, filled with shock and embarrassment and… what was that last one? Her mouth moved, like she wanted to say something, but only a warm breeze escaped her lips. Her cheeks were tinted rose--she looked so beautiful with a blush--and he felt the hand on his chest grip a little tighter.

"Ka… Katara…?" he managed to whisper. What surprised him was the affect it had on her. She gasped, eyes falling to his mouth. One hand slid up… and she began to trace his bottom lip with her index finger.

He sucked in a breath, lips parting with her gentle coaxing. Was it…? He watched as she began to lean in, nose brushing against his, and it dawned on him: she had been fighting the same urges all along. Her lips covered his, captured, and sent him reeling.

The hand she'd been massaging his mouth with moved to cup the back of his neck; and her head tilted more, deepening, quenching the need she'd denied for so long. Aang allowed one arm to slide up her back and play with her hair. He shuddered as he felt her fingers trace his jaw line.

He finally let his other arm go where it wanted (it quickly gripped at her hip) and they fell back onto the floor with another "oof." Her hair spilled around him; but he could only think of her, more of her, just _kissing_ her. He didn't care that his arm hurt or that, on the second fall, a rock had wedged its way into his back.

Perhaps he would let gravity have its way a little longer.


	7. Comatose

_A/N: It's the last day! The format of this doesn't work well with ffnet; it gets the point across, but only my livejournal version shows how I planned it! (If you want to see how it is supposed to look, just go to my bio--my livejournal is my homepage.) Anyway, I hope you like this last one!_

**Prompt: Comatose**

_Lightning._

Falling.

Falling.

Falling….

_(no time)_

Only one thought

_don't let him die please don't_

keeps her going, keeps the water moving with her, keeps her body from collapsing.

But in her arms, silence. Nothing. Where is the warmth--

(he holds her, a simple hug, and she smiles)

the breath--

(he's heaving, alive, just barely, as the water spills from his lips)

the

h e a r t b e a ting so rapidly, she knows it is the end.

And then--an _escape._

She must hurry

_(NO TIME)_

It can't be too late, no please it can't be--

dyingdying_dead_

He's c o l d

and

s i l e n tly she the pulls out the water

(special how? Not even she knows, just special, use it, try it)

Failure.

(_or so she thinks_)

Her cries s h a t t e r the silence, _crICK crACK,_ and what should she do and--

A g l o w

and

a groan

_he's awake and smiling and not--_

She silences the thought and holds him.

And then--he's unmoving.

Un

m o v i n g closer, his breath floats up

In

Out

In

Out

_warm_ and relieving.

Eyes look out at the dark sky, blanketing, coating the world an ominous tint

(_light in the dark, no matter how dim and wavering it is)_

How long…

…until she sees that smile of his again?


End file.
